Sewing-machine table



-April 22, 1924. 1,490,953:

- v L. ATWO0D Y sm'wme MACHINE TABLE Filed 'June 5. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I Patented Apr. 22, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEGNARD n'rwoon, on onnnen, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR ro 'r'n'n new Home snw- ING ivincnrnn conrnnv, or ORANGE, niessecnusnrrs, a conronnrion or IvZASSACHUSETTS- Application filed June 5,

To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEONARD ATWOOD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Orange, in the county of Franklin and State of lifassachusetts, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Sewing-Machine Tables, of which the following is a specification.

Herctofore attempts have been made for raising the head of a drop head sewing machine by means of awire cable attached to the head frame and drop leaf, so that when the latter is folded from its extension position down upon thev top of the machine the drop head will automatically descendto its housed position. It has been found, however, that such cables will elongate in use to such an extent that when the leaf is swung over from its housing position to its usable position, the drop head will not be brought snugly up into place, but will sag down therefrom.

It is also found that when the head is brought up into place, the downward strain given thereto by the belt which takes its power from the fly wheel beneath will cause the head to shake and tremble in a manner most detrimental to good sewing.

, To overcome these defects, I provide a chain in place of a cable, and so connect the same with the drop head frame that the strain thereon is practically uniform, and there can be no stretching or sagging, the preferable connection for the chain comprising a pivoted lever arm supported by the machine frame, and an antifriction roller carried by the-head frame and resting upon the lever arm.

For preventing the shaking and trembling of the drop head frame, I provide a looking bar running the entire length of the drop head frame and longitudinally moved bv the extension leaf to lock the end of the tion of the same. Fig. 6 is a side sectional SEWING-MACHINE TABLE.

1922. Serial No. 566,01$.

elevation ofthe samebut with its extension leaf partially lifted.

The reference numeral 1 designates the top of a sewing machine; 2 its drop frame upon which the machine head is mounted, and 3 is the extension leaf. To the framework 4; of the machine cabinet is pivoted at one end 5 a lever arm'6 which is yieldingly pressed upward by a helical spring 7, and upon this lever arm rests antifriction roll 9 carried by the drop frame 2. Then the drop frame is permitted to swing downward to the housing position desired for its machine head, the roll 9 travelsto the extremity of the lever arm 6,-and, since the drop frame is to be drawn up into position by a pull upon the lever arm, the upper surface of the free end of the latter is given a concave curve in order that the upward pull applied to the lever arm will the more easily force the roll along the same. In other words, the curvature gives a cam-action to the roll. This curve 10 is needed only at the section of the lever arm traversed by the roll, and acts to equalize the lifting strain given by the head to the lever.

For the actuation of the lever arm 6 by the movement of the extension leaf 3 from its closed or housed position to its used position, I attach a chain ll to the arm and leaf as shown in Fig. 3, a metallic race-way 12 being provided over which the chain slides. In this figure, the extension leaf 3 is represented as nearly vertical, and the drop frame 2 as in its u permost position. Hence the chain 11 must be shown as broken in order to indicate that these two positions are not simultaneously possible. The lower end ofthe chain 11 is attached to a screw eye 14 having a nut 15 provided with a curved surface fitting a concave seat in the lever arm 6 for the purpose of allowing angular variations in the chains direction of pull. 1

Since the chain 11 through the lever and roll 6, 9 acts uponthe drop frame 2 at its end farthest from the actuating pulley 19 of the sewing machine head, the opposite end and the onewhich receives the pull of the belt upon this pulley, is insufiiciently sup ported and will consequently become liable to be vibrated by the belt and by the action of the reciprocating parts of the machine. To overcome this, I provide a locking rod 2O slidably held by the frame 2 and adapted to be moved by the opening of the extension leaf 8, in a mannerto engage a fiXed ledge 21, its disengagement being effected by a suitable spring, as 22, acting against the 2 and "conveying it to the rod "This con sistspreferably of a pin 24l' having ahead 25 against 'whichthe leaf 2 acts, and a helical spring 26 for in'ovingfthe' pin out wardly.- As indiated in Fig. 5, I prefer to have a recess 2'7 in the head 23 into which the end of the pin enters, in order thatlthis end oftherod 20shall be" supported (LS'WQll' as its other end by the ledge 21. l p Thus formed, the'ropeningnp offthe ere tensionleaf 2: acts to 'elex 'at'e 'the'drophead intooperative position, and then t'o'secu'rely lock the drophead against vibration. WVhat I claim is: I l. A; sewing machine table "having a hinged drop-head'frame,a hinged drop leaf,

a rod slidably carried-"by said "frame-parallel with the axis of its hinges and substantially equal in length to the width of the frame, and a pin slidably supported by the sewing machine table and adapted When the said leaf is swung to its outward operative position to press said rod into engagement with 'a sup-port provided therefor.

2. A sewing machine table having a hinged drop-head frame, a hinged drop leaf,

a rod sli'clably carried by said frame paral lel with the axis of its hinges, a pin slidably supported by the sewing machine table to be pressed by said drop'leaf toward said rodsadjacent'end, a spring normally holding said rod away fromsaid rod, and a supportfor the end offisaid rod opposite said pin b'ut nonnallyput of reach thereof, the end of said" rod adjacent said pin being recessed for partially receiving said pin, whereby the said drop leaf acts to push said pininto' said rod and the opposite end of saidrod' intothe engagement: of said sup port. a

In testimony that I claim the' foregoing i'nyenti'on, Ihave hereunto set my hand this twenty third day' of May, 1922 LEONARD ATWOOD. 

